Fiber optic cables and transmission lines are routinely used in a number of applications and are often used as units having a fiber element with several individual fibers. Multiple fibers are generally bundled together, and housed in a cable. The fibers themselves are long and thin, making them prone to damage by snapping and cracking, and requiring a source of strain relief to reduce external stresses.
Conventionally, strain relief is achieved by surrounding a fiber, bundle of fibers, or all lines in the cable with a layer of Kevlar. A connector is attached to a terminating end by crimping a ferrule around the layer of Kevlar. Alternatively, strain is relieved by incorporating a flexible rod centrally through the entire length of the cable. Then, instead of attaching to the layer of Kevlar, the connector is attached to a terminating end by crimping a ferrule around the rod.
These conventional methods present several disadvantages, namely a certain over-length of the transmission line may occur. Within a tight cable, the over-length may be cumbersome to store, and a high compression force is required to be applied to the ferrule, which can exceed international standards on a maximum compression crimping force allowed.
Additionally, it is common for the transmission line to be affixed within an enclosure with the help of additional means such as adapters. Thus, convention methods require both a crimping action, followed by affixing the terminal end within an enclosure, meaning two separate actions are necessary for terminating the cable. Therefore, whether using the Kevlar layer or the central rod, terminating the cable so that strain relief is achieved may be cumbersome and time-consuming.